God's Purpose, God's Will

"Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood."  His brothers agreed.  So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. ~ Genesis 37:27-28

Praise the LORD.  Praise the LORD, O my soul.  I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.  Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.  When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.  Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them--the LORD, whoe remains faithful foreve.  He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.  The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.  The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.  The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.  Praise the LORD. ~ Psalm 146

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ~ Romans 8:28

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?"

The Lovely Will of God

by Hannah Whitall Smith

     "We are not wise enough to judge as to things, whether they are really in their essence joys or sorrows, but the Lord knows; and, because he loves us with an unselfish and limitless love, he cannot fail to make the apparently hard, or cruel, or even wicked thing, work together for our best good.  I say "cannot fail" simply because it is an unthinkable thing to suppose that such a God as ours could do otherwise.

     It is not matter who starts our trial, whether human, or devl, or even our own foolish self.  If God permits it to reach us, he has by this permission made the trial his own, and will turn it for us into a chariot of love which will carry our souls to a place of blessing that we could not have reached in any other way.  I say that to the Christian who hides in the fortress of God's will, there can be no "second causes," for nothing can penetrate into that fortress unless the divine keeper of the fortress shall give it permission; and this permission, when given, means that he adopts it as being for our best good.  Joseph was sold into Egypt by the wickedness of his brethren, but God made their wickedness the chariot that carried Joseph to his place of triump over the Egyptians.

     We may be certain therefore, more certain than we are that the sun will rise tomorrow, that God's will is the most lovely thing the universe contains for us; and this, not because it always looks or seems the best, but because it cannot help being the best, since it is the will of infinite unselfishness and of infinite love."

     Taken from the Women's Devotional Bible 2

     When I started writing this post tonight, I was pretty frustrated.  I started a home business in July.  With this company, when I have enrolled 8 customers, I will become a Director.  In the last 2 weeks, I have had 4 appointments scheduled.  2 were not interested in enrolling right now, 1 said no, and 1 did not even answer the phone when I called.  Any of these appointments would have enabled me to become a Director as I only need 1 more enrollment.

     As a read the Scripture passages associated with this devotional, and as I was typing in Hannah Whitall Smith's words, I felt a sense of peace come over me.  Do I want to get to the next level in my business?  Of course, I do.  However, when I think about my schedule in the week ahead, I think maybe this is God's way of helping me step back and refocus on other commitments I have already made.

     Monday through Friday - teaching music to elementary students and JH & HS choir students

     Monday - taking my daughters to the 4-H fair booth work night

     Tuesday - worship planning meeting at church

     Wednesday - music planning meeting at church

     Thursday - musical auditions at school

     Friday - unwinding from the week and preparing for a weekend of "single parenting" as my husband will be gone for the weekend.

     Lord, be with me in the coming week.  Help me to focus completely on the tasks that you have given me in the coming week.  I believe that the "trials" I am about to face have come from you and that you will help me to grow as I work through them.  Guide my thoughts, words and actions so that I may glorify You and live out your will for my life.  Amen.

Creation, Praise

     "And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."  So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.  And God saw that it was good.  God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth."  And there was evening, and there was morning--the fifth day. 
     And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds:  livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind."  And it was so.  God made the wild animals accordng to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatrues that move along the ground according to their kinds.  And God saw that it was good.
     Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over te fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."  ~ Genesis 1:20-26

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.  Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.  Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.  For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.  The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earh is full of his unfailing love.  By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.  He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world rever him.  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.  The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the people.  But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; the people he chose for his inheritance.  From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth--he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.  No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.  A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.  But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.  We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.  May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you." ~ Psalm 33

     This summer, as I have been on a break from my daily job as a public school music teacher, I have had time to just sit and enjoy creation.  I have mowed our grass most of the summer.  I enjoy sitting and listening to our small fountain bubbling.  I enjoyed being at a beach in Michigan for an afternoon.  While in Michigan, I also saw a young fawn and just appreciated all the trees and the cool clean air.
     As school begins tomorrow, I pray that God will continue to open my eyes to appreciate the beauty He has created all around me...nature, my students (the good ones, and especially the challenging ones), my children as they grow.
     Lord, thank you for your wonderful creation and thank you for blessing me and my family with your beauty.  Amen.

Residual Income Vs. Overrides

Residual Income Vs. Overrides

Would you like to make a difference in your family's economic status? Read this article and then fill out the form to request free training videos.

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Parenting, Values

The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to the land?  Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?"  "Make sure that you do not take my son back there," Abraham said.  ~ Genesis 24:5-6

So I said:  "Do not take me away, O my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations.  In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.  They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.  Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.  But you remain the same, and your years will never end.  The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you." ~ Psalm 102:24-28

My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching.  Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.  When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.  For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life... ~ Proverbs 6:20-23

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." ~ Acts 2:40

     The older my children get, the more I worry about them.  I see things on TV and hear things on the radio that do not match the values I want them to have.
     Today, as I was driving to my Mom's house to pick up my daughters, I saw three young teenagers walking down the sidewalk.  From a distance, I thought it was 3 boys.  The one in the middle, who appeared to be shirt-less, had their arms around the shoulders of the two on the outside.  As I got closer, I realized that the middle person was a girl in a string bikini top.  My daughters are 10 and 6.  I will not let them out of the house wearing a bathing suit top that looks like a bra to just walk down the sidewalk.
     I know that my daughters think that we are "mean" and "strict" because we haven't gotten them cell phones.  I do not see the need for them to have cell phones as they are always with me, my husband, or another adult that has a phone they could use in an emergency situation.  Many of my oldest daughter's friends have cell phones.  I am not judging their parents, but I do not believe that a cell phone is a necessity for a 10-year old.
     Each year as they approach adolescence, I see my daughters pushing the limits a little bit more.  I pray that God will guide my husband and me as we parent them and try to train them to follow God's ways. 
     May God bless you all.  Thanks for reading! :)

Success Tips from Entrepreneurs

Success Tips from Entrepreneurs

This is from a fellow Internet CEO Mom, Heather Calhoun. I'm just learning the biz myself, so I am sharing business tips from other leaders in our company.

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momsflexbiz - moms helping moms work from home: The Top 10 reasons for a viable Plan B are.....

momsflexbiz - moms helping moms work from home: The Top 10 reasons for a viable Plan B are.....: "Especially in these economic times, we can all think of many reasons why we need a viable Plan B; By viable, I mean a real business for real..."


I read this on an Internet CEO Moms team member's (Susanna Carbajal) blog. 

Think about it.  As we hear daily about the state of the economy changing rapidly, we need to be prepared for anything.  We went through a period of about 18 months with my husband unemployed about 2 years ago.  It was a very stressful time for us.  He has been employed again for a little over a year and we are just now starting to breathe a little easier.

Have a great day.

Career, God's Watchfulness

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her, "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." ~ Genesis 16:13

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall intothe heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. 
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.  God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.  Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.  The LORD Almight is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth.  He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.  "Be still, and know that I am God' I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. ~ Psalm 46

You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.  Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for dakness is as light to you.  For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. ~ Psalm 139:5-16

When you pass through the waters, I wll be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will now sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. ~ Isaiah 43:2

     I have been on one of three music team at my church for about 16 or so years.  In that time I have learned and led lots of music.  I have had several discussions with people on my music team and in our Sunday School class about having songs go through my head when I read Scripture.  Today is no different.  I have many songs going through my head.
     When I was in the 2nd grade, my great-grandmother passed away.  I sang at her funeral at her request because I "had music in me."  I thank God for the gift of music that He has given me.  It is through my musical experiences that I have come to have a closer relationship with Him.
     The songs playing in my mind, along with the words of God, remind me that God will always be by my side.  I have no reason to fear because He will protect me.  There is no place that I can go that God will not be with me. 
     The words also remind me that I am one of God's precious creations.  I was wonderfully created by God, my heavenly Father.
     When I have doubts, which I do often, I need to just be quiet and let God be God.  This is a difficult thing for me to do.  I like to feel in control of my life and circumstances, but I know that God's will will be done.
     I trust that God has put me where I am supposed to be for my career.  I am a music teacher getting ready for a new school year.  I have just begun a second part-time career introducing others to safe, natural products.  I am seeking God's direction in this new adventure.  I pray that God will guide my words and actions with this new career.
     May you experience God's will in your life as well.  God bless you!

You Must Eliminate Worry to Achieve Your Goals!

You Must Eliminate Worry to Achieve Your Goals!

Business Tips

Thank You for My Work

"It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High." ~ Psalm 92:1

"Lord, I praise You and thank You for my work.  You are full of goodness and grace.  My occupation gives me the ability to shape lives and influence people in positive ways every day, whether it's taking time for  teachable moments with my kids or being a listening ear for a coworker.  Thank You for my job and the ability to be a "missionary" wherever my feet tread.  Season my words so that others may taste and see that my Lord is good."

Taken from "Power Prayers for Women" by Jackie M. Johnson

Accountablity, Choices

Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"  The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

 

"Adam blamed Eve.  Eve blamed the serpent.  It was the first game of pass the buck in human history.  Some of us may still be playing this game.  We fail to accept responsibility before God for our own feelings, thoughts and behavior.  We say it's our boss's fault that we missed our child's baseball game, when we scheduled the appointments.  We may blame our spouse for failing to allow us to finish school, when we are the ones who gave up too soon.

Each one of us has a choice.  We can choose to accept the things we can't change and learn to act on the things we can change.  We gain self-respect when we decide to stop blaming others for our dilemmas and start taking responsibility for our own choices." ~ Joan C. Webb in Women's Devotional Bible 2

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold. ~ Proverbs 8:10

Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt.  And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me." ~ Hosea 5:15

It is written:  "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'"  So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. ~ Romans 14:11-12
     
     As a mother of a child diagnosed with epilespy, I wonder if I am guilty of passing the buck on her education.  My oldest daughter repeated kindergarten because she wasn't socially ready to move on after the first year.  During her second year of kindergarten, she was diagnosed with epilepsy.  The neurologist estimated that she was having absence seizures (staring spells) approximately 200 times a school day.
     When I brought the diagnosis back from the neurologist, her teacher refused to accept the diagnosis as a reason for her not following directions.  We, on the other hand, believed that she wasn't following the directions, because she wasn't hearing them. 
     Since then, she has struggled in school.  She was on meds for the end of her 2nd year of kindergarten and all of first grade.  At the end of first grade, an EEG showed no seizure activity, so she was weaned off her medicine.  Praise the Lord we have not seen any seizuring since then.  She had an EEG in August before she started 2nd grade and again in August before 3rd grade to confirm that she was not having seizures that we were missing.
     In 2nd grade she seemed to be struggling, so we took her to our local Sylvan Learning Center and their testing revealed she was behind in reading.  So, we began a 9-month reading program with them.  She thrived there and got caught up and even started into 3rd grade level skills before school started. 
     When she started 3rd grade, we chose to wait to have her tested at school for learning problems because we wanted to see what she could do on her own since she was caught up again.  By November, her teacher expressed concern because she seemed to be slipping again.  So we had her tested.
     Her test results showed that her IQ is Low Average.  Her scores on her testing were too close to her IQ (less than 20 points away), so she doesn't qualify to receive help.  I have expressed my concern as a parent not being able to help my child.  I am a teacher myself, so it is VERY frustrating to me that I am powerless to help my child who is struggling.
     We are now just three weeks away from my daughter entering the 4th grade.  Although my child is not currently on meds for epilepsy, her neurologist has told us that it is possible as she enters into adolescence that the seizures will resurface and could even be worse than the were a couple years ago. 
     How do I, as a parent and employee of the school she attends, continue to fight for the best education possible for my child and still keep my job?  How do I explain to her teachers and the administration that I am NOT making excuses for her performance?  She has a medical diagnosis and should be given additional help.
     Am I guilty of "passing the buck"?  Or am I guilty of "loving my child and wanting the best for her"?  I honestly don't know.